Proverbs 18:24
“A man who has friends must himself be friendly, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.”
Being alone is a sad and dismal position. We really do need each other and a friend is one of the greatest possessions we can have. It is a sad and poor man who has no friends. Friends are different from companions. Companions may be close by, but are not sufficiently close that we can share our deepest feelings.
When I resigned as pastor in Burns, Oregon, a close friend, Chris Vosler, gave me a plaque and a card. The plaque reads: A friend is one who knows you as you are, understands where you’ve been, accepts who you’ve become, and still gently invites you to grow. The card reads: Cecil, Thanks for being that friend. Chris.
As close as our dearest friend or friends may be, we have a friend who is still closer. Of course I am speaking of the Lord Jesus Christ. He is the One who is with us at all times. When we walk through the valley of the shadow of death, He is there beside us. When we receive devastating news, He is there to provide the comfort and solace to ease the pain. When we receive news that calls for rejoicing, He makes it even better for we have One who rejoices with us. At all times and in every circumstance, our dearest Friend makes our life worth living.
May God richly bless you as you bless others by your words and actions!
– – – Pastor Cecil